USA > Mississippi > Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. I > Part 24
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Benton, Samuel, was a lawyer at Holly Springs, where in 1860- 61, he organized a military company known as the Jeff Davis Riflemen, of which he was captain. This was one of the companies which formed the 34th regiment (also called 37th), organized at Corinth in the spring of 1862, and he was elected colonel. He was on duty during the siege of Corinth, and the Kentucky, Murfrees-
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boro, Tullahoma and Chickamauga campaigns, and during the At- lanta campaign was one of the gallant field officers of Walthll's brigade. After many battles, and two days after he had been com- missioned brigadier-general, he was mortally wounded at the battle of Ezra Church, near Atlanta, July 28, 1864.
Bentonia, an incorporated post-town in the southern part of Yazoo county, on the line of the Illinois Central R. R., about 15 miles south of Yazoo City. It was named for the Christian name of Mrs. Hal Green, a resident. Its population in 1900 was 167; estimated in 1906 to be 400.
Berkson, a post-hamlet in the northwestern part of Lawrence county, on the Mississippi Central R. R., about 7 miles north of Monticello, the county seat. Since the advent of the railroad the town is prospering.
Bernard, Joseph, chairman of the Permanent committee of Natchez district, and a landholder there under Spanish grants, died September 20, 1797. It is said of him in the Ellicott Journal, "He was a gentleman of good understanding, sound judgment, and of the most inflexible integrity. From his youth he was strongly attached to republican principles, and it may truly be said that he expired serving the United States. His easy manners, benevolence and hospitality were of that cast that he only needed to be known to be esteemed."
Berryhill, S. Newton, was born October 22, 1832, and while he was an infant his father settled in the wilderness of what is now Webster County. The log school house with one window and one door was his alma mater, and during the first forty years of his life he rarely went out of the neighborhood. Besides these limita- tions he became a confirmed invalid early in life, unable the re- mainder of his days to stand on his feet, yet he became fairly pro- ficient in Latin, French, German and music, besides English, science and mathematics. He taught school near his home for many years, and became widely known as the "Backwoods Poet." He went to Columbus about 1875, and was for some time editorial writer on the Columbus Democrat. His book, entitled "Back- woods Poems," was published in 1878 at Columbus. He was elec- ted treasurer of Lawrence County and served two years. In 1880 he returned to his home in Webster County, where he died January 8, 1887.
Berryville, a post-hamlet of Yazoo county.
Berryville, an extinct village of Scott county, and its first seat of justice. The town was located about four miles southwest of
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Forest, but only survived about a year, when the seat of justice was transferred to Hillsboro, in the north-central part of the county.
Bertice, a post-hamlet in the southwestern corner of Leake county, near the east bank of the Pearl river, and about 10 miles southwest of Carthage, the county seat.
Bertram, a post-hamlet of Attala county.
Berwick, a post-hamlet in the southwestern part of Amite county, about six miles southwest of Liberty, the county seat. Population in 1900, 40.
Bet, a post-hamlet in the eastern part of Tate county, on Hick- ahala creek, about 13 miles northeast of Senatobia, the county seat. It has a general store, a school house and a cotton gin.
Bethany, a post-hamlet in the extreme northeastern part of Lee county, 6 miles west of Baldwyn station on the Mobile & Ohio R. R., and 18 miles directly north of Tupelo, the county seat. It has a money order postoffice and two rural mail routes. Popula- tion in 1900, 45. This hamlet is located on the battle-field of Brice's Cross Roads.
Betheden, a post-village in the northestern part of Winston county, about 12 miles northeast of Louisville, the county seat. Population in 1900, 100.
Bethlehem, a post-village in the southeastern part of Marshall county, about 15 miles southeast of Holly Springs. Population in 1900, 300.
Betty, a post-hamlet in the central part of Greene county, 10 miles west of Leakesville, the county seat.
Beulah, a post-station in the western part of Bolivar county, on the Riverside division of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., 5 miles by rail south of Rosedale, one of the county seats of justice. It is near Lake Beulah, and not far from the site of the extinct town of Prentiss (q. v.), the first permanent seat of justice of Bolivar county. An old field, still known as courthouse field, marks the spot where the courthouse once stood. It has several churches and a jail. Population in 1900, 170; estimated in 1906 to be 250.
Beverly, a post-station of Coahoma county, on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., 4 miles southwest of Clarksdale. Popu- lation in 1900, 25.
Bevil, a post-hamlet in the northeastern part of Winston county, about 10 miles northeast of Louisville, the county seat.
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Bewelcome, a post-hamlet in the west-central part of Amite county, 6 miles northwest of Liberty, the county seat.
Bexley, a post-station in the southern part of Greene county, on the Mobile, Jackson & Kansas City R. R., about 15 miles south- west of Leakesville, the county seat.
Bezer, a post-hamlet in the south-central part of Smith county, 7 miles north of Mize station on the Gulf & Ship Island R. R., and 4 miles south of Raleigh, the county seat. Population in 1900, 30.
Bienville, Jean Baptiste Lemoyne. M. de Bienville succeeded to the chief command of the infant French colony at Biloxi at about the age of twenty, on the death of M. de Sauvolle in August, 1701. He was one of the eleven illustrious sons of Charles Le- moyne, Baron de Longueil, who settled in Canada in 1640; all of whom died in the service of their country. He had accompanied his famous brother d'Iberville as a midshipman when the latter sailed from France in 1698, to plant a colony on the Mississippi, and was commissioned King's Lieutenant and placed second in command during the first two years of the colony at Fort Maure- pas, on the Bay of Biloxi. All told he served his country with brief interruptions for the period of over forty years in the colo- nial administration of Louisiana. In 1702 the headquarters of the colony were removed from Biloxi to the Bay of Mobile, and Bienville constructed 18 leagues from the Gulf, Fort St. Louis de la Mobile, while the fleet thereafter for many years made use of Dauphine island as a rendezvous. In August, 1717, a hurricane swept over the island and choked up the harbor with sand, with the result that Ship Island was selected as the future place of anchorage and deposit, and fort and warehouses were built. At the same time headquarters were re-established at Biloxi. The early administration of Bienville was marked by the petty jeal- ousies and oppositions common to new settlements. The chief fomenters of discord were La Salle, the Commissary-General of the colony and the Curate de la Vente, Vicar-General. They were constantly engaged in intrigues against Bienville and his brothers Serigny and Chateaugue, and in denouncing them to the minister at home. They finally caused his removal in 1707, when M. de la Muys was appointed in his stead. De Muys died of yellow fever before he reached the colony, and Bienville was now continued in office, as the result of the favorable report of D'Artaguette, the new commissary-general. He was a tireless administrator and seized every opportunity to conciliate the native tribes as he explored the bays and rivers upon the coast, and to attach them to the
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French interest. He was also swift to punish any aggression on the part of the Indian tribes. Thus in 1707, when he learned that Father Cosme of Natchez and three other Frenchmen had been murdered by the Chittemaches of La Fourche, he persuaded the Natchez, Biloxis and Bayagoulas to attack them, and they were nearly exterminated. In 1709 Bienville decided to remove Fort Mobile to the mouth of the river Mobile, as the old fort was inun- dated. In his early dispatches to the home government we find him complaining that the French soldiers sent him are too young; often desert; and are unable to stand exposure; he avers that his Canadians make the best colonists. He writes in 1709 that the supplies of the colony should be made on the rich soil it possessed ; but that it is impossible to make the French work, and the Indians whom he employed, constantly deserted to their villages. He proposed to exchange the Indians for West Indian slaves. His proposal met with no favor, and it was recommended that slaves be imported direct from Africa. Though the report of D'Arta- guette had vindicated Bienville to the home government, it was not flattering to the success of the colony, which was far from self sustaining and had proved a heavy charge to the crown. Con- sequently the king was glad to grant to the rich merchant Crozat for fifteen years the exclusive right to the commerce, navigation and occupation of the whole colony of Louisiana, together with certain other valuable concessions. (See "Crozat Grant.") Crozat reserved the right to nominate the king's officers in the colony, and in 1712 he appointed M. la Mothe Cadillac, governor; and M. de Bienville lieutenant-governor. It was while Bienville was act- ing in this capacity, that he was directed, in 1816, to garrison Natchez (See Fort Rosalie), where a trading post had already been established in the interest of Crozat. Cadillac was jealous of the popularity of Bienville, which gave rise to repeated alter- cations between them. The first party organization known in this country is said to have sprung up after the arrival of the Crozat appointees. These differences, and the hurricane of 1717 pre- viously noted, caused Cadillac to transfer his official residence from Mobile to Biloxi and make Ship Island his place of deposit instead of the island of Dauphine. When Bienville returned to headquar- ters, after the construction of Fort Rosalie, at Natchez, he learned that a new governor, L'Epinay, had been appointed and that until his arrival, the administration of the colony had been entrusted to him. In 1717, three ships belonging to M. Crozat arrived, with three companies of infantry and fifty colonists, and L'Epinay the
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new governor. Crozat failed to realize the great profits he had relied on in his trade with the Indians and the Spaniards, and was actually in debt for the colony to the amount of 125,000 livres. The king complied with his request for the revocation of his charter in August 1717; but immediately conferred the charter with much more extensive privileges upon another company, known as the Western Company. (q. v.) At this period there were in the col- ony 700 persons and 400 head of cattle. The colonists had entirely neglected to cultivate the land, and it was now proposed to form plantations on the banks of the Mississippi, to cultivate tobacco, rice, silk, and indigo, as well as to furnish masts, pitch, and tar to France and the West India Islands. In 1718, three of the new company's ships arrived in the port of Mobile, with three com- panies of infantry, and sixty-nine colonists, bringing to Bienville his old commission as Governor of Louisiana. Bienville now re- solved to remove his headquarters from the sterile regions of Biloxi, Mobile and St. Louis Bay to the more fertile country of the Mississippi river. He selected a site for a town where now stands the great city of New Orleans, and set fifty men to clear away the timber and prepare the ground. Many plantations were now established on the Mississippi, the Yazoo, on Red river, the Arkansas, at Natchez, at Baton Rouge, etc. The African slave trade was inaugurated at this time by the new company, and all the larger plantations were supplied with this class of labor. On June 6, 1719, two ships arrived from the coast of Guinea with 500 negroes, all of whom were sold to the concessionaries, and for several years the importation of negroes was one of the most profitable monopolies of the Western Company. At this time the province became involved in hostilities with the Spaniards in con- sequence of the war between France and Spain. Governor de Bien- ville twice reduced the town of Pensacola, and sent detachments to prevent the Spaniards from making inroads into upper Louis- iana and the country bordering on the Rio Grande. On the re- storation of peace colonists began to arrive in large numbers from France and Germany. In the Autumn of 1726 Bienville was super- seded by M. Perier, as Commandant-General of the Province, and retired to France to confront his detractors. In 1734 the King reappointed Bienville Governor and Commandant-General of Lou- isiana, and he entered upon his duties the following autumn. Though no longer a young man the veteran Bienville still felt a thirst for military fame, and determined to humble the Chickasaw Indians, who had remained the persistent enemies of the French,
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and had afforded an asylum to the remnants of the Natchez when the latter tribe was finally dispersed by the French. In 1735-36, he organized an expedition to march against the Chickasaws and attacked their strongholds. He was repulsed with considerable loss and returned to New Orleans in May much mortified with the result of his campaign. In 1739, he again marched into the Chick- asaw country, not by the Mobile river as before, but by the St. Louis (Mississippi). He had with him in this campaign about 1,200 white troops, and double that number of Indian and black troops. As the result of this formidable invasion, he succeeded in concluding a treaty of peace with the Chickasaws, but he gained no military glory and his army was wasted by sickness. This cam- paign closed the military career of Bienville in Louisiana; and to crown the misfortunes of two disastrous campaigns against the Chickasaws, he was placed under a cloud of censure by his Gov- ernment and superseded by the Marquis de Vaudreuil. He re- turned to France in 1741 at the age of 62. He died in Paris March 7, 1767, and was buried with military honors in the cemetery of Montmartre.
Bigbee, a post-station in the northern part of Monroe county, on the Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham R. R., two miles by rail from Amory, and 12 miles north of Aberdeen. The largest saw mills in the county are located here. The population, in 1906, was estimated at 250.
Bigbee Valley, a post-hamlet in the extreme northeastern part of Noxubee county, near the west bank of the Tombigbee river, 14 miles east of Brooksville station on the Mobile & Ohio R. R., and about 18 miles northeast of Macon, the county seat. It has a steam saw mill, a grist mill and cotton gins. Population in 1900, 75.
Big Black, a post-hamlet in the southwestern part of Warren county, on the Mississippi river, about 20 miles southwest of Vicksburg.
Big Black, battle, see Vicksburg, campaign of 1863.
Big Creek, a post-hamlet in the western part of Calhoun county, one mile north of the old boundary between the Choctaw and Chickasaw cessions, and 7 miles southwest of Pittsboro, the county seat. Population in 1900, 62.
Biggers, a postoffice of Lauderdale county.
Biggs, a hamlet of Copiah county, on Big. Bahala Creek, an affluent of the Pearl river, six miles southeast of Hazlehurst, the county seat, and nearest railroad and banking town. A large saw
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mill and gin are located here. It receives mail by R. F. D. No. 1, from Hazlehurst.
Bigpoint, a post-hamlet in the southeastern part of Jackson county, located on Black Creek, an affluent of the Escatawpa river, 14 miles north of Pascagoula.
Bigsprings, a hamlet in the central part of Clay county, about 15 miles northwest of Westpoint, the county seat. Population in 1900, 68.
Bilbo, a postoffice in Pearl River county, 13 miles northwest of Poplarville, the county seat.
Biloxi. The city of Biloxi is located on a peninsula on the Gulf coast in Harrison county, 80 miles by rail east of New Orleans, and 61 miles from Mobile. Both the city and bay of the same name were named for the Biloxi nation of Indians, which originally inhabited those parts. The first white settlement in the State was made by the French under d'Iberville in April, 1699, on the north- east shore of the Bay of Biloxi, about a league east of the present city, near the present town of Ocean Springs. The French had intended to fix their first establishment on the Mississippi river, but found that river in flood when they ascended it in March, 1699, and were unable to fix on a suitable location for the colony. A convenient harbor for the ships had been found off Ship Island, and the French spent a few days in exploring the coast east and west of their anchorage, including the Bay of St. Louis and Pas- cagoula Bay. "After having visited several places well adapted for forming establishments," says d'Iberville, "our provisions rapidly falling short, we thought it best to commence operations at the Bay of Biloxi, four leagues north-west of the place where the ships were anchored, and which could be approached at a dis- tance of two leagues. There are but seven feet of water at the entrance of this bay. We made choice of this place, merely on account of the road, where the small vessels can go and come at all times, and where we could assist, without fear, with a portion of the crew, in building the fort which I ordered to be constructed there (Fort Maurepas, q. v.), whilst, in the mean time, the place most convenient for the colony can be selected at leisure." The administrative center of the colony only remained at Old Biloxi until 1701, when the headquarters were transferred to Mobile Bay. About the year 1717, the harbor at Dauphine Island had become choked with sand, and it was determined by Governor l'Epinay and Bienville to make Ship Island the principal anchorage for ships from France, and to erect a new fort upon the mainland
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opposite the island. Penicaut, in his Annals of Louisiana, says : "The place selected was one league west of Old Biloxi, opposite the anchorage of Ship Island, which was afterwards called New Biloxi." In 1719 the headquarters were removed from Mobile to Old Biloxi. (French Coll., p. 67.) The proposition to move the headquarters of the colony from Biloxi and Mobile to the banks of the Mississippi had long been favored by Bienville and his sup- porters. The ground had been cleared and the first beginnings of the city of New Orleans made by the year 1720. On April 17, 1721, the engineer Pauger was sent to the mouth of the Missis- sippi by Gov. Bienville to sound the passes. He reported that he found 12 feet of water on the bar, recommended the establishment of a fort on the island at the Balize, where ships drawing 16 to 18 feet of water could anchor in safety, and urged Bienville to use his influence with the company to have the headquarters and prin- cipal settlement established at New Orleans. Bienville's efforts, at this time, only resulted in a decision to abandon Old Biloxi and to establish headquarters at New Biloxi. In 1720 the Western Company ordered that the new post at Biloxi be called Fort Louis in honor of the King. La Harpe in his Historical Journal of Louis- iana states that Bienville, and d'Artaguette, the Director-General of the colony, favored moving the colony to the banks of the Mis- sissippi, but was strongly opposed by M. le Gac, subdirector and a strong following in the directorate. A compromise was the immediate result, as we have seen, and La Harpe states that M. de Lorme on November 13, 1721, "left Old Biloxi to occupy Fort St. Louis, which the council had previously agreed upon." Fort Louis at New Biloxi continued to be the administrative center of the colony until Bienville finally secured its removal to New Orleans in 1722.
The impress of the early French settlements at Biloxi and along the Mississippi Gulf coast is seen in the many families of French descent to be found in that locality. Many of the permanent set- tlers in the early days were French Canadians, who had descended the Mississippi in their canoes, when they learned the French were established on the coast. They often brought their families, and were a rugged self-reliant element in strong contrast to the raw colonists direct from the mother country. They often prospered while others starved. They were the only element which made any serious effort to till the soil, and persisted in carrying on an illicit trade with the Indian tribes, in defiance of the monopoly of Crozat, and that of the Western Company. Many even grew rich
16-1
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and their descendants are still to be found inhabiting the same region.
Many thousands of French colonists, who were brought to Mis- sissippi between 1717 and 1732, made their first landing on the soil of America at Biloxi. The harbor at Ship Island continued to be used by the French ships for many years, and Biloxi was one of the nine civil and military posts of French Louisiana.
While Biloxi and its environment is replete with historic inter- est, the present thriving city is worthy of its storied past. Its climate is wonderfully salubrious both winter and summer, and Biloxi has been famous as a winter resort for northern people for many years; while many New Orleans people flock to it in sum- mer to enjoy the cool Gulf breezes and fine bathing facilities. Nor is the city alone famous as a watering place; it possesses many substantial business interests, and is growing at a rapid rate. It is on the L. & N. R. R., and is connected with Gulfport by an electric traction line, bringing the two cities, on the beach, close together. A few miles away is the fine natural harbor at Ship Island, and thus the city has excellent shipping facilities both by land and water. It has large interests devoted to the packing and shipping of oysters and shell fish, fruits and vege- tables. Among its important industrial enterprises are a tin can manufactory, 6 canning factories, which can oysters, shrimps and figs; there are also several shippers of raw oysters; 2 large sash and door factories, a box factory, a saw-mill, 2 ice factories, bot- tling works and a steam laundry. The city is provided with excellent electric lighting and water works systems, and has elec- tric street car service. It owns its own water plant, which fur- nishes artesian water, and cost $75,000. There are 2 weekly, and 2 daily newspapers published here, and the financial wants of the city are well provided for in 3 banking institutions. The hotel facilities of Biloxi are of the best, and the city is further embel- lished with a fine opera house built at a cost of $40,000, a number of beautiful churches, and 5 excellent school buildings, of which the Central building is especially fine. The population of Biloxi in 1890 was 3,234 ; 5,467 in 1900, and was estimated at 7,000 in 1906.
Biloxi, Old. Thomas Hutchins in his historical and geographi- cal work, published in 1784, has this to say of Old Biloxi: "Just opposite to Ship Island, on the main land, is situated old Biloxi, in a small bay of the same name, behind L'Isle au Chevereuil, or Buck or Deer island. This is the place where the French made their first establishment in Louisiana: but they did not continue
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there long, finding it in every respect an improper situation for their capital. There are still a few inhabitants at Biloxi, some of whom are the offspring of the original settlers. Their chief em- ployment is raising of cattle and stock, and making pitch and tar : but the natives are very troublesome to them."
Biloxi, Parish of. See Gulf Coast Occupation.
Biloxis. See Indians.
Binford, a hamlet in Monroe county, 10 miles south of Aber- deen, the county seat. It is on the I. C. R. R. and has a store and a cotton gin.
Bingaman, Adam L., the great Whig leader in Mississippi, had an unique distinction among the statesmen of his time in being a native of the State, and a member of one of the oldest families. He recognized this fact in the name of his plantation, "Father Land." He was of a family established in Natchez district during the British period. Christian Bingaman received a grant from the Pensacola government of 600 acres on Coles creek in 1777, and afterward this and many hundred acres granted originally to Alex- ander McIntosh and others, were acquired by Adam Bingaman, who was a leader in the Rebellion of 1781 (q. v.) and suffered im- prisonment by the Spanish. Adam L. was graduated from Harvard college, after which he returned home to take charge of the estates to which he succeeded. He married Julia Murray, of Boston. In 1814-15 he was one of the volunteers at Natchez, in the rifle com- pany, for the defense of New Orleans, and was chosen first lieu- tenant. Subsequently he entered politics and was the leader of the Whig, or Henry Clay, party. The description of him by W. H. Sparks is: "He was a man of rare qualifications for a popular leader-highly gifted by nature in mind and personal appearance, which was most splendid and commanding, with a polished edu- cation and fascinating manners, and by nature an orator. Added to these advantages, he was a native of the State, the representative of great wealth, and with extensive family influence." J. F. H. Claiborne says (Life and Times of Dale, 223) he was a man of very superior and highly cultivated intellect, one of the best clas- sical scholars in the State, of fine person and imposing manners, ambitious of distinction, yet ever scrupulous in his efforts to win it. He always occupied a high position in the public eye, but with less conscientiousness he would have obtained the very highest. Per- sonally he was a favorite with the dominant party, and there were occasions when a very narrow line of demarcation separated them, and he had only to cross it to be placed in power.
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